District Party authorities in the Mekong Delta province of Vinh Long are considering punishing a commune Party official for adultery after his jealous mistress cut off part of his ear.

Nguyen Van Dung, Party secretary of Tan Luoc Commune, Binh Tan District, said Monday his deputy Nguyen Ngoc Thanh Phong, 36, had just been discharged from the hospital following cosmetic surgery to reform his left ear.

According to Dung, Phong, who is married with children, has been having an affair with a 28-year-old local woman known only as Tran Thi T.

On September 13, the pair visited a friend of Phong's house in Can Tho City.

While they were drinking, T. suddenly cut off the helix of Phong's left ear with a knife used to peel off fruits.

Phong was rushed to the hospital and underwent surgery to reform his ear. He was released from the hospital after one week of treatment.